Owning a pet is always going to be a substantial change for your family and your home, but sometimes the new animal has problems getting used to their new surroundings. If this gets too bad, they can start to exhibit behavior that can cause problems such as scratching the furniture or going to the toilet in places you don’t want. However, there are ways that you can adapt your home to help your cat, and you live peacefully in your house.
Toilet Habits
Cats are extremely clean animals, and they spend a lot of their time washing and keeping their nails sharp. However, sometimes they can start to use other areas of the house as their toilet, and this will cause you a lot of problems. If you don’t already have one, then a litter tray is a must, especially if you are out for long periods. The litter tray doesn’t have to be in view it can be in a corner somewhere, as long as the cat knows where it is that’s all that matters. Some cats do prefer the enclosed types of the litter tray, though this is usually if there are other cats in the house. The type of litter you use isn’t so important to the cat, but it can be to you. The different types of litter respond in different ways, so you should think about what type is going to be easiest for you to clean up. If you have a male cat that is spraying in the house, then it could mean that you need to get him neutered. It should stop the spraying and stop him being too territorial.
Room with a View
One thing that cats love to do is to spend time looking out of the window. They love to see what’s going on outside, so if there are no places for them to get to a window, they might try other ways. If you are finding that they are knocking things off your shelves to get to the window, you might want to put a table or some other shelf there so that they can see outside without damaging your things. Cats are usually happiest when off the ground, so providing some shelf space or other empty surfaces will help your cat relax and calm down.
Indoor Cat Garden
If you have an apartment that doesn’t have a garden, then there are other ways you can bring some greenery into your home. Most cats love catnip and cat grass, so by planting some in a small pot and putting it in the apartment, they will be able to brush up against it. It can make cats much more relaxed and docile it is also a good way to keep them occupied while you are out. Not all cats react to catnip or cat grass, so it would make sense to buy some dried catnip first to see if they can smell it.
Scratching Posts
Cats love to scratch things, not only does it help keep their claws in good condition, but it also helps with marking their territory. If you don’t have any scratching posts in your home, then your cat might start to scratch other things such as the corner of the sofa or the carpet. The scratching post doesn’t have to be a multi-floored cat hotel (though they would love that), as long as it has the rope wrapped around it so that they can sharpen their claws. Ideally, you want to have at least one, preferably two in different areas of the home so that they have no excuse to scratch anywhere else.
Places to Hide and Sleep
Your cat loves comfort; they especially love somewhere warm that they can lay down and relax. Often this will be your bed or the sofa, but you can give them other options if you don’t like the idea of that. Cat hammocks are becoming more popular, and cats seem to love them. You can hang them on a table, or some have their own supports, if your feeling crafty, you can even make them yourself. It means that you can close your bedroom door and they will still have somewhere to sleep. Cats also like places to hide, so you can get cat dens that are little tents with a hole for them to get in and out. You might find that your cat loves the idea and will spend a lot of time in it. There are other options, for example, a simple cardboard box can give your cat hours of fun. Or, you can make your own cat den first to see if they will use it before spending money on one.
Food and Treats
Most cat owners feed their cat in the kitchen as this is where their food usually is. As well as their main food, you can also have a dish of cat kibble out so that they can have a snack while you are out. You shouldn’t give them too much, but just a little will keep them happy. Treats should be just that, treats, you can give them a treat if they have been good or if you want them to learn something. It can be a good idea to get them to eat treats such as PawsIQ as they have a space in the middle for pills if your cat needs them. By getting them used to them without pills, they will be less suspicious when there are pills inside. If you are going away for a day or overnight, then you can easily leave your cat at home as long as they are fed. You can ask a neighbor to come in and feed them, or you can get an automatic feeder that opens the food tray at a set time.
Having a cat has many rewards, and if you can do a few adaptions to your home, there is no reason why both you and your cat can’t be happy together.